14 February 2011

When's the last time you listened to Bloc Party's Silent Alarm? I think 2005 was an amazing year for indie music. That's when I really got into it and met Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Regina Spektor, MIA, Sufjan Stevens, Mike Doughty, Okkervil River... seriously massive year of music. And Bloc Party is right at the top of that list. Silent Alarm is a phenomenal album. The energy and pace and drums and vocals are just... they're all there from start to finish. It's one you just start at the beginning and let run. It's up tempo British indie rock at it's absolute best. I mean, talk about incredible driving music! It's so energetic and persistent.

Anyway, it's one of those you listen to from time to time and it never ceases to amaze you. I randomly decided to put it on this afternoon for my drive home and it changed my life. Again. For like, the 6th time.

12 February 2011

I guess if you know more than three things about me you know that I have a huge passion for music. And while I post a lot of hip hop and pop and dancehall, I listen to far more than just that. I listen to pop and dance when I'm happy, but when I've got a lot on my mind it just doesn't fit (Well, dance always seem to fit. I love a good beat!). I've also never thought of myself as "good with words" or "able to properly express my feelings" so music and art really helps me there. A lot of times the best thing I feel I can do is hand someone a CD and say, "Here I am. Please listen with headphones."

Something I find interesting about music is the timing of it and how we receive it. Ten years ago I wouldn't have been ready for most of the music on this mix. It's amazing music, but I had to grow to where I am to receive it with open ears. It just wouldn't have happened before now. I think when an album hits you at the right time or you come back to something you weren't ready for at the time, it sticks with you forever. This James Blake album is what Bon Iver's For Emma was for me. It just couldn't be more appropriate for me... for right now. Bon Iver rocked me emotionally when I heard it. I don't even know how many times I listened to Neutral Milk Hotel's Aeroplane when I was finally ready for it. This is why when I think something has potential but I don't love it right away I always keep it for later. You just never know when that time will come.

As for the songs on here... Don't you always wish you could explain why you picked every song on a mix? Like why it's important to you? Suffice it to say all of these are big to me. It's what I've been listening to lately. A lot. Many of these are electronic... based. Regardless of the beat, I love tension and intensity in music. That's why there's a Mumford & Sons song and a Deadmau5 song on the same album. They both have wonderful intensity. Hearing that loudly helps me release tension (which is one of the reasons why the neighbor thing was such a bummer; it wasn't just an inconvenience, it was stifling.)

I've also really been enjoying this guy, Starslinger. His mixes are hazy and nostalgic with fantastic, laid-back beats. Which brings me to another type of music I've been loving that I wouldn't have before. I know when most people hear "electronic music" they think of Fatboy Slim or Tiesto or something. Most wouldn't think of Caribou or Baths. So much is done "electronically" nowadays. It's expanded to so much more and I've been loving the influx of this style of hazy, lo-fi, warm musicians.

Some randomness on there... The Punch Brothers song is phenomenally beautiful. The chords are dark and warm and Chris Thile's voice just floats right over them. It's flashbacks of the darker side of Nickel Creek. A couple of great Iron & Wine songs. If you like Bob Dylan you'll love the Tallest Man on Earth. The Ceo album is terrific. I love the joy in that song. I bought the Teen Daze album on a whim and loved it. It's like the soundtrack for the greatest kid's party ever. Jónsi's album, Go is also one that's just so quirky and full of joy. Listening to it, it just sounds like love translated to music.

I don't want to say this is the greatest mix I've ever put together. I won't say that. I would, however, disagree strongly with me not saying that because it's true. It is the greatest mix ever. I don't know if it will translate what's going on in my heart, but it's a good effort.

10 February 2011

Like there's something really great ahead of me, but all I can see is the mud blocking my view. I know good is out there, but stuff just kind of sucks right now. It's been cold as balls here this past week. We've had several pipes freeze and bust. We spent a few days without heat and now a pipe on the other side of the bedroom busted leaking water down our wall and into the carpet. So we're currently sleeping in the living room. There's not enough room to sneeze without bumping into something. It's enough to drive me out into the snow to freeze to death. Not that I don't love sleeping in the cat's nightly playroom, but the place is barely big enough as it is and this is just beyond... You can't carry out a normal life living in 10sqft. It's maddening.

So we're looking at other places. Things out here cost a lot. Food, living, everything. So we need more space but it costs more. However, if I had an engineering job (that paid me the appropriate amount) we could move out tomorrow. We'd have plenty to get a 2br place maybe with a garage. And we found one and it's awesome, but we have to decide whether or not it's worth stepping out and holding it or to wait till I find a fulltime job and keep looking. It's frustrating and everything would settle down and we'd get to living life here rather than just scrimping and waiting to run out of money if something would just pan out soon.

I'm sure it will. I know it will. But until it does, it's like wandering the desert. Then boom, someone calls you with a glass of water.